


To Sleep, Perchance To Dream

by foreverkneeld



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Found Family, Gen, M/M, Queers in Space, and yet as always i crave more tenderness, listen star trek discovery said we're going to give the gays everything they want
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29506518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverkneeld/pseuds/foreverkneeld
Summary: queer friends and gay dads and non-binary kids OR: Adira gets tucked in by one of their dads.
Relationships: Hugh Culber & Adira Tal, Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets
Comments: 12
Kudos: 30





	To Sleep, Perchance To Dream

Adira clenches their hands into fists and then runs them through their hair. The numbers should work. The numbers _should_ work, but are they? No! They’ve run the simulation at least two dozen times now, and every time it comes back just a little off - too bad that ‘little bit off’ is enough to blow up Discovery, if they implement the drive changes before the numbers _do what they’re supposed to_ and actually work.

They take a deep breath, sparing a thought to wish Grey were here, if only to have a sounding board (Grey’s talents are many and varied, but he was never as into the practical engineering side of things as Adira). Then they bend back over the console. Absorbed in the work, it takes a voice saying “Whoops! This isn’t the mess hall” for them to look up, startling a little.

The Saurian in front of them tilts their head at them, curious. “Hello! We haven’t met yet. I am Linus, science junior officer. Pronouns xie/xer.’’

Adira scrambles up from their cross-legged position on the floor, wiping their hands nervously on their uniform. “Oh! Um. Adira. Science, uh. Ensign, I guess. And my pronouns are they/them.” They hesitate. “How did you - did someone like, tell you to ask, or - oh duh, you have non-binary pronouns too, you’re probably - sorry, that was like, so rude. Sorry! You’re just, the first person who’s been like. Who hasn’t assumed, I guess. Anyway! It’s really nice to meet you, Linus.’’

“You as well,” Linus says politely, a small click in the back of xer throat emphasising the words. “Pardon my interruption! I would not wish to distract from the exploration of science by any means!’’

“Oh you’re...not, really. That is, I’m kind of stuck right now.” Adira minimizes the work screen, smiling awkwardly at the other science officer. “I just need to run the numbers a few more times and I’m sure I’ll work it out.”

“Undoubtedly!” Linus says, xer eyes blinking rapidly in a way that seemed somehow to convey encouragement. “Doctor Culber speaks very highly of your dedication and creative thinking, and I can see for myself it’s true - why, even the night shift will be off in a few minutes. The Alpha shift is starting soon; that is why I decided to get up early and beat the rush for the espresso line. Seems like no many how many machines are available, there’s never enough time for a really nice cup or seven.”

Adira glances at their personal Comm screen, eyes wide. Sure enough, it’s nearly 0800 hours. They groan quietly. They were supposed to be getting breakfast with Stamets today, and working on the new thermal regulator update with Jett. Instead all they’ve done is wear themselves out overnight with numbers that won’t cooperate and make themself good for nothing the rest of the day. 

“Ensign Adira,” Linus says, xer voice gentled, “May I make an impertinent suggestion?”

“Uh, sure,” Adira says, sure xie saw the horribly obvious error they made in the equations and are about to fix the whole thing with something a four year old should have known.

“Allow me to walk with you to the medical wing? I believe Doctor Culber would be concerned to know you have gone all night without rest. After all, not everyone has the good fortune to have Saurian stamina, and I have understood from Lieutenant Stamets that younglings of your stage require more rest even than adult humans.”

There’s - okay, well, there’s a _lot_ of unexpected embarrassing things in that speech, not least of all. Stamets talks about their _rest requirements_ to the other crew? And also, Linus knows enough about them, sight unseen, to know Doctor Culber would be concerned? Adira is a full member of Discovery’s crew, okay, they’re pretty damn adult, considering all the lifetimes of skills and memories knocking around in their too-crowded brain, they don’t need - but on the other hand. There is that. Weird warm feeling they get behind their sternum, every time Stamets looks at them with that proud tilt of his head, or Doctor Culber puts a hand on their shoulder or arm or fusses over their vitamin intake. 

And either way, it’s not Linus’ fault. Xer just being nice; a good crew mate. “That’s - really nice of you, Linus, but. No thanks. I don’t want you to miss out on those espressos. I’ll just walk down by myself - it’ll be good to clear my head a little.”

Linus’ expression, as far as they can tell, smoothes out. “Good! A fine plan. And what a happy chance, that I haven’t gotten the hang of this transporter yet and was able to meet you! I look forward to working with you more in the future.”

“Same to you, Linus.” Adira feels like some kind of parting gesture is required but without knowing what’s appropriate to xer culture, just ends up bow-nodding a little, awkward, but Linus doesn’t seem to mind, bowing back gravely with one hand on xer opposite shoulder before disappearing with a _sching_.

Adira slumps onto the nearest work station, feeling more tired even then they had before Linus popped in. Xe had seemed pretty sure Doctor Culber would be in medical, although they can’t remember if he was working the swing shift or not yesterday. Today. Whichever. For a second Adira contemplates just beaming straight to their room, but they’d sort of promised to check in with Doctor Culber, even though there’s nothing wrong with them a good night’s sleep won’t fix. 

Medical is quiet, this hour, only a couple crew members recovering from injuries or a lingering illness in the wards, and Doctor Colber is easy to find, in his spotless medical whites and speaking with a nurse in a low voice. He looks up at once when the turbolift’s doors swish open, alert expression melting at once into a warm smile. “Adira! What brings you here? Everything all right?”

Now that they’re here, a half-promise to check in seems even more stupid. “Oh, it’s - yeah I’m totally fine, I just sort of, got caught up in a project and forgot I was supposed to meet Stamets for breakfast, and I think I might have to, uh. Go to my bunk for a while before I’m good for much.”

“Oh!” Culber hands a Padd back to the nurse, who smiles briefly at Adira before he hurries into the next ward, and Culber comes towards them, looking concerned. “You mean you haven’t slept since the last time I saw you? Adira, that was 27 hours ago! Didn’t Grey interrupt you?”

“No, I haven’t. Seen him in a couple days.” Adira shifts from foot to foot awkwardly. “I didn’t mean to bother you, I just wondered if you could maybe tell Stamets. I know he doesn’t always check his Comm right away.”

“Of course I can, although if anything he’ll probably be glad of the extra hour to sleep in, the lazy thing.” Culber's smile is predictably fond as he speaks of his husband, and Adira feels that pang again under their breastbone. They take a deep breath, hoping to ease it into something less. Strong feeling.

Culber's eyebrows furrow at once, and he places a careful hand on Adira’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re all right? You seem a little pale.”

“I’m sure I just need some sleep.” Adira tries for a smile again, but it must not go well, because Culber is still looking at them with concern. 

“Well, sleep is absolutely a good idea, but I think I’ll give you an immune booster as well, if you don’t mind, just for my own peace of mind.”

“Oh, uh. Sure.” Adira reaches to roll up their sleeve, but Culber puts out a hand to halt the movement.

“Actually, do you mind if I walk you to your quarters and administer it there? I’m off shift now anyway, and this way I can give you the immune shot and then go to bed myself.”

Adira agrees, crossing their fingers the walk there won’t be too awkward. Doctor Culber must be used to abstraction in scientists, though, because he walks with them in a silence that’s somehow easy, interspersed by snatches of humming to himself as he looks something over on his personal Padd. Adira has their own room, courtesy of being the youngest on the crew, and it hasn’t escaped their notice that it was moved from their original one to one right next to Stamets and Doctor Culber. Stamets is many things, a genius among them, but subtle he is not. And maybe, Adira thinks, watching Doctor Culber fuss over their (Starfleet issue, and nothing special) blankets and plump up their pillow before turning and smiling at them again. 

“There’s a bit of a relaxation aid in this as well, if you want to use the fresher before you take it. It can hit you pretty fast, especially if you’re already sleep deprived.”

Honestly, Adira was planning to just crash face first on the bunk, boots and all, but Doctor Culber has a point, so they drag themselves into the fresher, stripping off their old uniform and stepping under the sonic for .3 seconds before slipping into a soft pair of (also Starfleet issue) sleeping clothes. When they step out again, Doctor Culber has produced from somewhere a blanket that looks three times as soft as the Starfleet one, and is folding it down with the sheets, making their bed look like the most inviting thing they’ve seen in three galaxies.

“All set?” He asks, waiting for Adira’s nod and for them to be fully stretched out beneath the blankets before he pulls out the hypospray and, so gently Adira hardly feels it, injects it in the crook of their arm. 

He was right about the relaxation aid, is the last thing Adira thinks, fuzzily; they’re almost asleep almost before the hiss of the hypo dies away. They feel, dimly, the new blanket being pulled up securely to their chin, and a hand smoothing their hair back gently. 

“Thanks, Dad,” They mutter, already mostly asleep, and the hand on their head pauses a moment before finishing its motion, and the voice above them says, “Sleep well, _carino_.”


End file.
